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1瑪坦的兒子示法提雅、巴施戶珥的兒子基大利、示利米雅的兒子猶甲、瑪基雅的兒子巴施戶珥聽見耶利米對眾人所說的話，說：Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchijah heard that Jeremiah had been telling all the people:
2「耶和華如此說：住在這城裡的必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死；但出去歸降迦勒底人的必得存活，就是的，必得存活。“This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war, and he will live.
3耶和華如此說：這城必要交在巴比倫王軍隊的手中，他必攻取這城。」This is what the LORD says: This city will surely be delivered into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”
4於是首領對王說：「求你將這人治死；因他向城裡剩下的兵丁和眾民說這樣的話，使他們的。這人不是求這百姓得平安，乃是叫他們受災禍。」Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to die, for he is discouraging the warriors who remain in this city, as well as all the people, by speaking such words to them; this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but their ruin.”
5西底家王說：「他在你們手中，無論何事，王也不能與你們反對。」“Here he is,” replied King Zedekiah. “He is in your hands, since the king can do nothing to stop you.”
6他們就拿住耶利米，下在哈米勒的兒子（或譯：王的兒子）瑪基雅的裡；那牢獄在護衛兵的院中。他們用繩子將耶利米繫下去。牢獄裡沒有水，只有淤泥，耶利米就陷在淤泥中。So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
7在王宮的太監以伯‧米勒，聽見他們將耶利米下了牢獄（那時王坐在便雅憫門口），Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,
8以伯‧米勒就從王宮裡出來，對王說：Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and said to the king,
9「主─我的王啊，這些人向先知耶利米一味地行惡，將他下在牢獄中；他在那裡必因飢餓而死，因為城中再沒有糧食。」“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.”
10王就吩咐古實人以伯‧米勒說：「你從這裡帶領三十人，趁著先知耶利米未死以前，將他從牢獄中提上來。」So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”
11於是以伯‧米勒帶領這些人同去，進入王宮，到庫房以下，從那裡取了些碎布和破爛的衣服，用繩子下牢獄去到耶利米那裡。Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
12古實人以伯‧米勒對耶利米說：「你用這些碎布和破爛的衣服放在繩子上，墊你的胳肢窩。」耶利米就照樣行了。Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,
13這樣，他們用繩子將耶利米從牢獄裡拉上來。耶利米仍在護衛兵的院中。and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.
14西底家王打發人帶領先知耶利米，進耶和華殿中第三門裡見王。王就對耶利米說：「我要問你一件事，你絲毫不可向我隱瞞。」Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance to the house of the LORD. “I am going to ask you something,” said the king to Jeremiah. “Do not hide anything from me.”
15耶利米對西底家說：「我若告訴你，你豈不定要殺我嗎？我若勸戒你，你必不聽從我。」“If I tell you,” Jeremiah replied, “you will surely put me to death. And even if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”
16西底家王就私下向耶利米說：「我指著那造我們生命之永生的耶和華起誓：我必不殺你，也不將你交在尋索你命的人手中。」But King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of these men who are seeking your life.”
17耶利米對西底家說：「耶和華─萬軍之 神、以色列的 神如此說：你若出去歸降巴比倫王的首領，你的命就必存活，這城也不致被火焚燒，你和你的全家都必存活。Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive.
18你若不出去歸降巴比倫王的首領，這城必交在迦勒底人手中。他們必用火焚燒，你也不得脫離他們的手。」But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”
19西底家王對耶利米說：「我怕那些投降迦勒底人的猶大人，恐怕迦勒底人將我交在他們手中，他們戲弄我。」But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.”
20耶利米說：「迦勒底人必不將你交出。求你聽從我對你所說耶和華的話，這樣你必得好處，你的命也必存活。“They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the voice of the LORD in what I am telling you, that it may go well with you and you may live.
21你若不肯出去，耶和華指示我的話乃是這樣：But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
22猶大王宮裡所剩的婦女必都帶到巴比倫王的首領那裡。這些婦女必說：你催逼你，勝過你；見你的腳陷入淤泥中，就轉身退後了。All the women who remain in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon, and those women will say: ‘They misled you and overcame you—those trusted friends of yours. Your feet sank into the mire, and they deserted you.’
23「人必將你的后妃和你的兒女帶到迦勒底人那裡；你也不得脫離他們的手，必被巴比倫王的手捉住；你也必使這城被火焚燒。」All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans. And you yourself will not escape their grasp, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”
24西底家對耶利米說：「不要使人知道這些話，你就不至於死。Then Zedekiah warned Jeremiah, “Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you will die.
25首領若聽見了我與你說話，就來見你，問你說：『你對王說甚麼話不要向我們隱瞞，我們就不殺你。王向你說甚麼話也要告訴我們。』If the officials hear that I have spoken with you, and they come and demand of you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what he said to you; do not hide it from us, or we will kill you,’
26你就對他們說：『我在王面前懇求不要叫我回到約拿單的房屋死在那裡。』」then tell them, ‘I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”
27隨後眾首領來見耶利米，問他，他就照王所吩咐的一切話回答他們。他們不再與他說話，因為事情沒有洩漏。When all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, he relayed to them the exact words the king had commanded him to say. So they said no more to him, for no one had overheard the conversation.
28於是耶利米仍在護衛兵的院中，直到耶路撒冷被攻取的日子。And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.